Police destroy suspicious backpacks left near Boston Marathon finish line

The Boston Police Department evacuated the area around the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Tuesday night after the discovery of two suspicious backpacks, WCVB reported.

Boston police said they were crediting an alert officer who spotted the suspect walking down Boylston Street.

Police said the officer was assigned to Copley Square and noticed the man walking down the street barefoot, and when the officer asked him what was in the backpack, police said the man replied "a rice cooker."

The bombs that exploded at the Boston marathon one year ago were made from pressure cookers.

The bomb squad investigated in the area of Boylston Street and Exeter Street, and just before 9 p.m. officials destroyed the first bag, with the second being destroyed about an hour later.

Police said there was no evidence that there were explosives in the backpacks, but were destroyed as a precaution.

According to witnesses at the scene, the man who dropped the backpack was wearing a black veil and makeup on his face.

Boston police had urged people to avoid the area during the investigation and Green Line trains were told to skip over Copley during the investigation.

Once the investigation concluded and the all clear was given, the area was reopened and Green Line trains were allowed to stop.

The unidentified man in custody now faces hoax charges as well as charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

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